Huff Post backs Miss America story, will release more emails

December 23, 2017

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The Latest on the reaction to leaked emails from officials at the Miss America Organization disparaging former title winners in crass and sometimes vulgar terms (all times local):

8:40 p.m.

A Huffington Post writer whose story on email communication among top leaders of the Miss America Organization led to the group’s CEO being suspended is affirming the accuracy of the story.

Yashar Ali tells The Associated Press he was given the emails by two sources who felt CEO Sam Haskell’s behavior was “egregious.”

Shortly after being suspended Friday, Haskell called the story “unkind and untrue.”

Ali says he now plans to publish all the emails he received regarding the Miss America Organization in an upcoming story.

The suspended CEO of the Miss America Organization says a Huffington Post story regarding emails he sent or received that disparaged former title winners is “unkind and untrue.”

Sam Haskell did not specify what he claims is untruthful in the story, published Thursday, that detailed email correspondence in which he and others ridiculed former title holders, including remarks about their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

Haskell says Friday he was “under attack” for a year by two former Miss Americas, and the stress of that badly affected his judgment.

For that, Haskell says, he apologizes, adding “my mistake was a mistake of words.”

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6:50 p.m.

The Miss America Organization has suspended its CEO whose emails mocked former title winners.

The group says it suspended Sam Haskell Friday evening, and that he has agreed to abide by the suspension.

No duration was given for the suspension, which will take place while the group’s board of directors carries out an investigation into the emails, as well as how they wound up in the hands of the Huffington Post.

The news website reported on Thursday that emails to and from Haskell derided former Miss Americas, including disparaging remarks about their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

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4:20 p.m.

A New Jersey agency that still owes the Miss America Organization $4 million toward the cost of next year’s pageant says it is reviewing its contract with the group.

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority says it has begun a review of its contract with Miss America, which still has a year to go.

Numerous local and state elected officials are calling on the agency to cancel the remainder of the contract in light of an email scandal. The Huffington Post reported Thursday on emails to and from the group’s CEO that mocked several former Miss Americas, including derogatory references to their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

A petition seeking the resignation of Miss America Organization leadership has been signed by 49 former Miss Americas.

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3 p.m.

Dozens of former Miss Americas have signed a petition calling on the CEO and other top leaders of the Miss America Organization to resign over an email scandal.

The Huffington Post reported Thursday on emails to and from the group’s CEO that mocked several former Miss Americas, including derogatory references to their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

As of midafternoon Friday, 49 former Miss Americas had signed a petition calling on pageant leadership to resign over the emails.

Betty Cantrell, Miss America 2016, tells the AP she had to endure “this misogynistic leadership” for a year, and she’s glad the truth has come out.

CEO Sam Haskell and other pageant officials remained silent Friday after acknowledging he had apologized Thursday night.

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2:15 p.m.

The outgoing mayor of Atlantic City has added his voice to the chorus of elected officials and others calling on top leaders of the Miss America Organization to resign in the wake of an email scandal.

The Huffington Post reported on emails to and from the group’s CEO that mocked former Miss Americas, including derogatory references to their appearance, intellect and sex lives.

A former Miss America whose appearance and sexual habits were mocked in emails sent by the pageant’s CEO and other leaders is calling on him to be replaced.

In a Twitter video posted early Friday, Mallory Hagan says she suspected Miss America Organization CEO Sam Haskell and others engaged in such misbehavior and that the emails reported by The Huffington Post show it was real.

Hagan, who won the 2013 competition, says the story should result in new leadership at Miss America.

The group says Haskell has apologized, and that it considers the matter closed.

The Huffington Post reported on emails it says it obtained from two sources that included Haskell and others ridiculing Hagan’s weight, and speculating about how many men she had sex with.